View topic - help on installing Windows 3.11 - Windows, Apple, Application, Abandonware and Game Beta Downloads/Repository

owen123

Hi
I just downloaded Microsoft Windows 3.11 (3.11.002) (3½) from the FTP.
I am trying to install it in virtual pc 2007 and inserted disk1.img but it said non-system disk or disk error
Now I know that you have to do something to make it work but it been long time since I have install it.
So please could any one help me? Thanks

PlyrStar93

Try installing from MS-DOS and run setup.exe.

TheCollector1988

The Windows 3.11 disks are not bootable. Install from MS-DOS 5.x or 6.x with setup.exe

owen123

Ah I see. So is the only way people would install windows 3.11? They must have MS-DOS first then they can use Windows 3.11?

Ok thanks for the help. Trying it out now!

PlyrStar93

In order to partition and boot. And, Windows 3.x should be started up by typing win from MS-DOS.

owen123

Yeah. Just installed MS-DOS. Very fast!
I think I may be wrong but was there some editions of Windows 3.x that you can install without using MS-DOS?

TheCollector1988

owen123 wrote:

Yeah. Just installed MS-DOS. Very fast!
I think I may be wrong but was there some editions of Windows 3.x that you can install without using MS-DOS?

nope

PlyrStar93 · Last edited by PlyrStar93 on Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

owen123 wrote:

Yeah. Just installed MS-DOS. Very fast!
I think I may be wrong but was there some editions of Windows 3.x that you can install without using MS-DOS?

I have one Windows for Workgroups 3.11 which is a bootable iso. It seems to be a customized version, and after booting up it goes to MS-DOS. Has a GUI which is just like Windows 95. Currently I cannot tell where it comes from, but I think it should be a customized one. Still has a DOS, yet.

Haven't figured out how to install it, though it does have an installation program.

owen123

Ah ok thank you. Got it working

owen123

PlyrStar93 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

Yeah. Just installed MS-DOS. Very fast!
I think I may be wrong but was there some editions of Windows 3.x that you can install without using MS-DOS?

I have one Windows for Workgroups 3.11 which is a bootable iso. It seems to be a customized version, and after booting up it goes to MS-DOS. Has a GUI which is just like Windows 95. Currently I cannot tell where it comes from, but I think it should be a customized one.

Haven't figured out how to install it, though it does have an installation program.

Yeah I had a feeling that I have heard about windows 3.x isos. Since it not in abandonware os i think it must be customized.
With floppy drive going out nowadays they will be useful to test on actual pc.

owen123

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

TheCollector1988

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

to install NT 3.1, you'll need a MS-DOS bootdisk (and not the whole MS-DOS OS), sure you can boot from the CDINSTALL.IMG boot disk, but you'll need an MCA/ISA/EISA SCSI adapter for it.

PlyrStar93

owen123 wrote:

Yeah I had a feeling that I have heard about windows 3.x isos. Since it not in abandonware os i think it must be customized.
With floppy drive going out nowadays they will be useful to test on actual pc.

The Windows 3.2 isos are very common, but I'm not sure if it's self-made or copy from an original CD. The ones I have are unbootable, though thay actually don't come from BA FTP (I haven't downloaded any Windows 3.2 build from the FTP so I can't say whether mine are same or different from FTP).

And the Windows for Workgroup 3.11 one, I suppose it's customized mainly because it has a Windows 95-like GUI which differs original WfW 3.11. It even has start menu and a desktop, and right click menus are also available.

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

As far as I can tell, it requires SCSI CD-ROM, yet I couldn't make it even if CD drive set to SCSI in VMware. Might following the instructions in Microsoft Collection Book will work.

owen123

TheCollector1988 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

to install NT 3.1, you'll need a MS-DOS bootdisk (and not the whole MS-DOS OS), sure you can boot from the CDINSTALL.IMG boot disk, but you'll need an MCA/ISA/EISA SCSI adapter for it.

Yeah CDINSTALL.IMG doesn't work in Virtual PC 2007. I have got Dos 6.22 img file and I booted that and typed in D: but it said invalid drive specification. I have tried D:\ but still same error message. Am I doing something wrong there?

TheCollector1988

owen123 wrote:

TheCollector1988 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

to install NT 3.1, you'll need a MS-DOS bootdisk (and not the whole MS-DOS OS), sure you can boot from the CDINSTALL.IMG boot disk, but you'll need an MCA/ISA/EISA SCSI adapter for it.

Yeah CDINSTALL.IMG doesn't work in Virtual PC 2007. I have got Dos 6.22 img file and I booted that and typed in D: but it said invalid drive specification. I have tried D:\ but still same error message. Am I doing something wrong there?

it must have the CD drivers installed.

owen123

PlyrStar93 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

Yeah I had a feeling that I have heard about windows 3.x isos. Since it not in abandonware os i think it must be customized.
With floppy drive going out nowadays they will be useful to test on actual pc.

The Windows 3.2 isos are very common, but I'm not sure if it's self-made or copy from an original CD. The ones I have are unbootable, though thay actually don't come from BA FTP (I haven't downloaded any Windows 3.2 build from the FTP so I can't say whether mine are same or different from FTP).

Did you mean Windows 3.1 isos?
And the Windows for Workgroup 3.11 one, I suppose it's customized mainly because it has a Windows 95-like GUI which differs original WfW 3.11. It even has start menu and a desktop, and right click menus are also available.

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

As far as I can tell, it requires SCSI CD-ROM, yet I couldn't make it even if CD drive set to SCSI in VMware. Might following the instructions in Microsoft Collection Book will work.

Damn. Doesn't work in Virtual PC 2007 as well. It might work in VirtualBox.

owen123

TheCollector1988 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

TheCollector1988 wrote:

owen123 wrote:

Is it same way to install Windows NT 3.1? Or I have to use boot disk?

to install NT 3.1, you'll need a MS-DOS bootdisk (and not the whole MS-DOS OS), sure you can boot from the CDINSTALL.IMG boot disk, but you'll need an MCA/ISA/EISA SCSI adapter for it.

Yeah CDINSTALL.IMG doesn't work in Virtual PC 2007. I have got Dos 6.22 img file and I booted that and typed in D: but it said invalid drive specification. I have tried D:\ but still same error message. Am I doing something wrong there?

it must have the CD drivers installed.

When I booted the dos img file at the top it said CD-ROM device driver so does that mean that it has loaded the CD drivers?

Zacster98

Yup, Win 3.1 isn't bootable without DOS as it is based on DOS, hence it needs it to run.

MegaDragon998

Ummmm....You could search it on google or YouTube.There are so many tutorials for it.

kyle62

Get MS-DOS 5.x.x or MS-DOS 6.x.x,Install it,take Windows 3.1.1 and put it in the VPC,change to drive A: and run setup.Change floppys as needed,and just follow the directions on-screen. When it is done,reboot the VPC,type cd windows and run win,and you are done!

CaptainPeanut

Zacster98 wrote:

Yup, Win 3.1 isn't bootable without DOS as it is based on DOS, hence it needs it to run.

IIRC, Win 3.1 isn't based on DOS, it's an extension for DOS.

DeFacto

Frankly, it's a DOS shell...

MegaDragon998

DeFacto wrote:

Frankly, it's a DOS shell...

Yeah like windows 2.x and 1.x were called MS DOS executive.

CaptainPeanut

DeFacto wrote:

Frankly, it's a DOS shell...

Windows 1.x and 2.x were.
3.x was further away from that concept.

acerti0519

If you want to save time changing disk files constently I believe you can combine all the file from the disk and put in to a single .iso file.

help on installing Windows 3.11

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